Remembering when Norm MacDonald gave us a good laugh – at MMA’s expense
The world of comedy lost a superstar Tuesday when the legendary Norm MacDonald died of cancer at 61.
Known for “Saturday Night Live”, “The Norm Show”, “Dirty Work”, and more, MacDonald had a supreme portfolio at the time of his death.
Though MacDonald thrived in the world of stand-up, acting, and guest appearances, he also had a deep passion for sports, which led to multiple battles with gambling addiction. One smaller, and perhaps forgotten, project played up to his love for athletics. “Sports Show with Norm MacDonald” featured MacDonald’s satirical takes on sports headlines.
The one-season series only ran for nine episodes from April 2011 to June 2011. Despite its brevity, MacDonald and producers still found time to work in some UFC and MMA gags.
Perhaps the most notable (and certainly the most in-depth) segment for fight fans came when the show’s onsite correspondent (and future “Saturday Night Live” star) Kyle Mooney attended UFC 121, the October 2010 event in which Cain Velasquez finished Brock Lesnar with strikes.
Well, if you wanted to cringe, that should do the trick! All else I can really say about that one is poor Arianny Celeste.
Maybe that type of spoof isn’t your thing. That’s more than fair. Maybe something more traditional is up your alley – like the joke MacDonald dropped when news dropped of the merger between the UFC and WEC.
If that didn’t make you smirk, you might not have a sense of humor. But if you liked both of the elements presented above (including plenty of uncomfortableness) peep the video below of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s interview with Karyn Bryant – and MacDonald’s reaction.
Sure, MacDonald’s MMA content was limited, but it shows the versatility of his comedic skillset that he could take something he’s largely unfamiliar with – and make it funny. An A-list comedy Hall of Famer, MacDonald was someone the world could not afford to lose in a time whereas many laughs as possible are needed. Rest in peace.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
